Dave Sim

(b. 17 May 1956, Canada)

Form & Void (Cerebus #14)

Dave Sim created 'Cerebus the Aardvark', a rare example of a parody that outlasted the thing originally parodied (namely, 'Conan the Barbarian'). 'Cerebus the Aardvark', is the longest self-published comic series ever done. Well-drawn and humorously plotted, Cerebus has earned Sim a solid cult status since he started the series in 1977. The series has been regularly reprinted in fat volumes of more than 500 pages, published by Aardvark-Vanaheim, Sim's company that was run by his wife Deni Loubert. Sim completed his 'Cerebus' saga in 2004.

Sim was born in Hamilton, Ontario, but raised in Kitchener since he was two. A comics fan since early childhood, he published a fanzine called Comic Art News and Reviews, in which he interviewed famous artists. Prior to 'Cerebus', he did a newspaper strip called 'The Beavers' in the Kitchener-Waterloo Record, as well as some contributions to fanzines. The meter or so 'Cerebus' collections that now form Sim's oeuvre have made Sim - who typically refuses to let any publishing house earn his money - the king of self-published comics. For those ambitious enough to follow in his footsteps, Sim wrote the classic 'Cerebus Guide to Self-Publishing'.

Judenhass (2008)

In 2006, Sim began publishing an online comic book biography of Canadian actress Siu Ta, called 'Siu Ta, So Far'. In 2008, he published 'Judenhass', his personal reflection on the Holocaust. Another new project by Sim in 2008 was 'Glamourpuss', a comic book related to women's fashion.